Same here, always had a dog....

The only times I haven't had a dog, to this day, were those couple days of mourning when one would pass before we'd get another.

Gopher's.. YOU BET.. wild cats have cleaned them out of my yard. And NO MORE MICE indoors with my indoor cats. I live in a field so mice can be a real problem.. not anymore. My cats probably catch 3 or 4 per year... and when they do I reward them... extra helping of food... longer belly scratches. It's an arrangement they are quite happy with. - JamesJM